Coffee and Hepatitis C

Many Hepatitis C patients experience extreme fatigue throughout the course of the disease. And many people in this world are addicted to caffeine Therefore, most scientists are now telling doctors not to remove their patients from caffeinated coffee consumption. This addiction is relatively harmless in the eyes of most doctors. However, there is increasing evidence that trying to end this addiction “cold turkey”, as has been recommended by most doctors for patients who have been afflicted with HC, is harmful to a patient’s blood pressure and overall health. So as far as modern day conclusions are concerned the coffee and hepatitis connection has been vastly over-stated.

Instead, coffee should be limited to between two and four cups a day, consumed early in the morning. Most doctors believe that you should have no more than 600mg of caffeine each day, so the number of actual cups of coffee depends on the type of coffee you prefer to drink. The freshness of the coffee beans and the strength of the particular brew can also affect the amount of caffeine in the coffee.

In addition, many doctors feel that cutting caffeine from HC patients cold turkey can be extremely time-consuming. These patients can be so concerned with avoiding the caffeine that they don’t concentrate as much on other, more harmful lifestyle issues. These issues, including smoking, doing illegal drugs and drinking should be ceased immediately and require more attention from the patient than the relatively harmless caffeine.

For most people, drinking coffee helps to keep them alert and awake. Many Hep C patients experience extreme fatigue, throughout the course of the disease. Some doctors are therefore recommending that their Hep C patients drink coffee in order to counteract this fatigue without the use of medications that can become harmfully addictive.

Recently, though, researchers have begun questioning the need to cease caffeine intake at all in Hep C patients. In fact, studies are beginning to show that the caffeine found in coffee is actually beneficial to these patients. In HC, high levels of the serum Alanine Aminotransferase can cause significant liver damage. Recent studies have shown that caffeine found in coffee is reducing the levels of this serum found in patients.

A large study undertaken by researchers at a Diabetes Institute showed that with each additional cup of coffee that the risk of elevated serum levels decreased. The highest level of benefit in this coffee and hepatitis study was shown to come from drinking at least two cups of coffee every day. The same results were not achieved if decaffeinated coffee or no coffee at all was consumed.

Why it is proving that coffee and caffeine block the production of this serum is unknown at this time. However, it has been speculated that the caffeine blocks a receptor found in both the brain and the liver. This may help the body become immune to some of the effects of Hepatitis C that cause the increase in this serum.

Concluding from all of these coffee and hepatitis studies it is found that there is no scientific evidence of problems for people with HC from drinking coffee. In fact, the possibility of drinking coffee in moderation being helpful for such patients seems to be increasing.

General Information on Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver which is caused by the virus hepatitis C (HCV). Unfortunately, unlike Hepatitis A & B, there isn't a vaccine for C.

People infected have a 55% to 85% chance of developing a long term infection. It is also the leading reason for liver transplants. Chronic liver disease may occur in 70%, and 5% to 20% have a chance of developing cirrhosis of the liver over a 20 to 30 year period of time.

If you suspect that you have been exposed you can be tested with a blood test. You should be tested if you happen to be in one of the high risk categories. These would include people who have injected illegal drugs irregardless of how often or how few times you did so. People who before 1987 have had a blood product and found out that the donor had hepatitis C. Health related workers who have been exposed to splashes to the eye or accidental needle sticks.

If your mother had HCV when you were born. Persons who had sex with an infected person. People who shared toothbrushes or razors, anything that might have been able to transfer blood from one person to the next. Basically HCV is spread through direct contact with an infected person's blood. This HCV infected blood can be contagious a minimum 16 hours at room temperature. The maximum length of time HCV can transfer infection to another person is 4 days.

Books and Coffee and Hepatitis Related Material

• The Hepatitis C Help Book - A Groundbreaking Treatment Program Combining Western and Eastern Medicine for Maximum Wellness and Healing
• Living With Hepatitis C For Dummies
• Home Access Hepatitis C Check At-home telemedicine test service for hepatitis.

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